DC's nursery to be taken over by Asquith / KidsUnlimited staff - any experience of these chains?

[worriedaboutnursery]

We got a letter today from the owner of the DC's lovely nursery, telling us that the nursery is to be taken over by three individuals, who google reveal to be a former CEO of Asquith nurseries and one from KidsUnlimited.

I've just been googling both chains and looking at Ofsted reports and I have a sinking feeling. We send our DS2 (and did send DS1) to a lovely suburban independent nursery, with its own nursery cook, and a warm family ethos.

These three individuals seemed to be running a conference this summer with topics including how to raise fees without alienating parents and tackling efficiency savings and costs.

DC3 is due on 1st October, and supposed to start nursery on 1st April 2011. Please can you give me your experience of Asquith and KidsUnlimited nurseries so I can work out what to do.

I used a nursery from one of these chains and it started out very well. Then there were changes to the management structure, which led to the site manager leaving as she felt her autonomy had been eroded. Her belief proved well founded: I had endless trouble over billing queries which took over a year to resolve (and which they later tried to re-open: lesson - keep copies of EVERYTHING), centralised food orders on a "just in time" basis which left the site without food one day, and a general erosion of standards. After a series of incidents which I felt demonstrated inadequate care, I removed the DCs. They went instead to a family run nursery and it was like a different world. They and I were so much happier and I wish I'd made the swop months earlier.

But they do vary from site to site. If your nursery is to continue with the same staff, the children will be fine. Just keep a close eye on any and all changes.

My DS ia at An Asquiths. They have been brilliant. Caring, great food, attentive, fun.